


Moon

by LadyHoneyblue



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Artefact, Deck of Many Things, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-27
Updated: 2012-10-27
Packaged: 2017-11-17 03:30:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/547153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyHoneyblue/pseuds/LadyHoneyblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the hero doesn't even know what he is. And that is how it should be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moon

There was war. It had been going on for several years. The enemy had conquered the kingdom and any hope of freedom was disappearing as fast as the morning dew on a hot day. The food and just about everything else were getting scarce.

I ought to know. I had been living in the middle of it the entire time. And even I was starting to lose hope. I hadn’t had anything to eat for almost three days and the water I had been drinking didn’t help fill the big empty hole that was gnawing in my stomach anymore. What I needed was something a bit more substantial. Like a roasted hindleg from a deer, covered with gravy, potatoes and spices. But I could do with a large piece of bread and some cheese. Even if it was old. Actually I could do with about anything as long as it was edible. At this point even leaves and bark began to look interesting. Very interesting.  
I was beginning to wish I was a cow. They had enough to eat. On second thought; this was wartime and a lot of people ate cows now. Maybe I could try the green stuff without being a cow. I was longing so much for that day the enemy would be gone and we had peace again. But I knew that this would not happen for the next decade or more.

Right now I am walking on a road. Or rather wheel tracks. A very old wheel track lying in the middle of nowhere. I do not know how I ended up here. Maybe I took a wrong turn somewhere. I have never seen this part of the country before and I have been travelling a lot. I used to be a minstrel. That is probably how I’ve survived so long; playing for something to eat. People need encouragement when the times are low. But I haven’t seen any farms the last two days. Except for the small cottage lying up ahead.

I can see smoke rising from the chimney. Two goats are grazing on top of the roof. Some chickens are running around and a black cat is lying on a small bench in front of the cottage, enjoying the last rays of the setting sun. An old person is sitting against the wall next to the cat, scratching it behind the ear. A small snow-white kitten is sitting on the shoulder of the person, opposite the black cat.

I can now see that it is an old woman. Although she is wrinkled, she does not look fragile. As a matter of fact she looks surprisingly healthy and strong for a woman her age. Now I don’t know how old she is but from the look of her, she has seen her part of life. Even though she looks as if she can do it all over again.

The cats are the first to notice me. Maybe because I’m walking on the grass in the middle of the wheel track. What strikes me here and now is the eyes of the cats. They both have green eyes. I have never seen a black cat with green eyes. And the colour of the blacks cats eyes is identical to the colour of the white kitten’s. Somehow that disturbs me a bit. Even though the whole place seems to be in a world of it’s own. Far away from the horrors and the screams of the war. The goats and chickens look well fed and the cottage and its surroundings seem to be oozing of tranquillity. 

The old woman looks up when I approach. She nods and asks me what I am doing in a desolate place like this. I actually don’t know. I just followed the road. She looks at me strangely and offers me some water. I could use that. The sun is very hot. I thank her and look around. There is a small vegetable garden. My stomach starts to growl just at the sight of the green leaves sticking up of the ground. The old woman apparently hears that because she – for some reason – invites me to eat with her. I could probably eat the entire garden so I gladly accept. She tells me that it will only be bread and sausage. Only? That is more than I have had for days. I ask her is I can give her something in return, maybe a song or if she needs something fixed around the house. I am not much of a handyman but I will do what I can.

She smiles and tells me that some entertainment would be nice. It is rather lonely out here. And she would like to hear any news too. When I start telling her about how the war goes she reacts like she didn't know it existed in the first place. She starts looking worried and wants to know about the entire war. When I tell her about it, she shakes her head. Then she mumble something about that she ought to do something about it. But how can an old lady living all by her self do anything about the war?

She turns and asks me what I think about the war. I give her my honest opinion. That I would like to see it over as soon as possible. War has never been good for anything. Her respond is a quaint little smile. She then walks into her cabin and beckons me to follow. Inside it is clean and nice with a lot of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. The cats follow her inside although I get the impression that they are more following me than her. She points at a chair and tells me to sit. I do. She goes over to a small shelf in the back of the cabin and takes a small box down. She then come back and seats herself across the table. The box contains a deck of cards. She tells me she wants to tell my future. I have never believed much in fortune-tellers but right now I am willing to accept anything for a meal. The black cat jumps up on the table and just sit there, looking at me like only a cat can. 

She tells me to draw one card and I do. When I turn it I realise that these are not ordinary cards. There are no clubs or diamonds. In stead there is a delicate picture of a full moon. I put the card down on the table. For some reason the picture on the card makes her look relieved and nervous at the same time. She is quiet for a long time. I can't help thinking of the food. It feels like I have a bottomless hole in my stomach. 

Suddenly she asks me what I want the most. What my deepest wish is. At this point my stomach is complaining about the lack of the food I was promised. I start saying that I would wish we had a huge dinner but I only manage five words before the black cat scratches me for no reason at all. It is not a very deep wound but it hurts. The old lady gives me a piece of cloth to dry the blood away with and tells me that I might want to think about what I really want before I say anything. When I ask her about my future, she tells me that this is all a part of her fortune-telling. I am not allowed to say anything before I know my wish. So I sit in silence while she prepares the food. The bread is a bit old but it tastes better than anything I have eaten in the last month, at least. 

When we have finished eating the old woman cleans the table and sits down again. She asks me if I have been thinking and I nod. But I haven't found out what my deepest wish is. Then it suddenly strikes me. The woman notices my reaction and looks expectantly at me. I nod. I have found my wish. I tell her that I wish the war had never started. I wish that my kingdom and the enemy kingdom were friends. She seems surprised at my last remark and asks why I don't want the enemy dead. I explain that in all the stories I have heard and know war never have let to anything good. And I am convinced that there are a lot of innocent people across the border too. People that also just want peace. She nods sagely and asks me if I don't want anything for my self. 

I sit back to think again. I tell her that I would like a new lute. I had to sell my old one for food. She then suggests me to say that I wish that there is a lute of quality in her cupboard. I am surprised but I do as she tells me. I have a very sated feeling because of the food. If it makes her happy that I repeat something then I can certainly do that for her. She tells me to go over to her cupboard and open it. Inside lies the most beautiful lute I have ever seen. I hardly dare touch it. I am speechless when she tells me it is mine. When I ask why she just tells me that I am that kind of person that has the right wishes. I carefully lift the instrument out of the cupboard and shortly find myself on the road again.

What I don't know is that when I have left the cabin the old lady stretches and turns into a younger lady in a robe. She looks at the black cat and the white kitten and complains that they didn't tell her that I was the right one. I thought it impossible for a cat to shrug but the black one actually does that. Then it jumps of the table and goes out - followed by the kitten - to lie in the afternoon sun.

I continue on the road. Happy with a filled stomach and a wonderful instrument. Now everything will be better.


End file.
